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6 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

P. H. RICHARDS.

BUTTON TASTNNNR SETTING MACHINE.

Patented June 9, 1885.

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` BUTTON FASTENER SETTING MACHINE. No. 319,507.

Patented June 9, 1885.

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BUTTON FASIENER SETTING MACHINE. No. 319,507. Patented June 9, 1885.

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BUTTON IASTENER SETTING MACHINE.

Patented June 9, 1885.

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y BUTTON F. STB1\IBR` SETTING` MACHINE. No. 319,507. PatentedJuneQ, 1.885.

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(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sliemav 6.

F. H. RICHARDS.

BUTTON PASTENNN SETTING MACHINE.

No. 319,507. Tatentedmm 9, 1885.

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TaTns FaTnnT FRANCIS H. RICHARDS, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASS., ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERI- CAN BUTTON FASTENER COMPANY, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONN.

BUTTONFASTENER-SETTING MACHINE.`

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 319,507, dated June 9, 1885.

Application filed October 6, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANcIs H. RICHARDS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, county of Hampden, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and' useful Improvements in Button-Fastener-Setting Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the'accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the side at the right hand in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a rear vertical sectional elevation of the front part of the machine. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of the part shown in Fig. 4through the center of the fastener-carrier wheel. Fig. 6 is a similar sectional view through said wheel and the spring-bolt. Fig. 7 is a verti. cal longitudinal section of the partshown in Fig. 4, showing the parts in the positions in which they are when the driver is down. Figs. 8, 9, and 10 show, respectively, three different positions of parts of Fig. 6. Fig. 11 is a detail drawing showing the carrier-wheel in two views. Fig. 12 is a'plan view of the hopper. Fig. 13 is a diagram of the rear end of the same. Figs. 14, 15, 16, and 17 are respectively sections of the hopper in lines m, .002, x3, and wi of Fig. 12. Fig. 18 is a longitudinal section of a part of the button-feeding screw, showing the construction of its thread. Figs. 19 and 20 are views illustrating the operation of the overflow. Fig. 21 shows the buttonfeed wheel in a different position than in Fig. 2.

Similar reference characters refer to simila parts throughout the several views.

This invention relates to machinery for setting or inserting into shoe-uppers that kind of button-fasteners known in the market as Kempshalls One-Prong l311tto11-Fastc ners,7 which I have illustrated and described in another fapplication, filed September 13, 1884, Serial No. 142,969, to which reference may be had.

The objects of my present invention are to furnish a machine adapted to be driven by steam or other motive power, having a more convenient arrangement for feeding the fasten- @rs t0 the driver-channel, and provided with an automatic apparatus for feeding the buttons to the proper position beneath the setting-die.

For the attainment of these object-s the invention consists in certain devices and combinations of mechanism, which I will first describe in connection with the drawings, and afterward point out in the claims.

In the drawings, A is the frame of the ma chine, suitably formed to carry the se details thereof. It may be supported by legs A2, as shown. On its under side it has bearings Aa for supporting a cam-shaft, and rising from the upper side there is a rear column, A4, and a front column, A5, for carrying the feeding and setting mechanisms.

E is the setting-die, having preferably a fixed position in the machine, and. so formed that it will properly set the prong of buttonfasteners when they are driven against it. Thisv die is or may be substantially the same as now used in various well-known instruments for setting other kinds of button-fast` eners. Below this die is placed the presserslide S, which is held in place by cap AG, and adapted to have a vertically-reciprocating motion, being drawn downward lby presser-cam C acting on its roller O3, and upward by spring S, which is, as herein shown, a push-spring. The shoe upper or fabric to which buttons are to be secured is placed on the top of this presser-slide, which at the proper moment is `let up by said cam to clamp connecting said pulley to and disconnecting it from said shaft. This mechanism may be of the ordinary description, as shown in Fig. 3, or of other suitable kind.

D is the driver, formed at its upper end to pass through the driver-channel and adapted to have a vertically-reciprocating motion, the upward stroke being imparted to it by drivercam C2, and the downward stroke by a spring IOO or cam which is not show-n. Immediately back ofthe presser-slide and driver is placed a carrier-wheel, R, for receiving the fasteners from a magazine, inverting them, and delivering them prong upward to the driver-channel. `As shown inthe drawings, this wheelis inclosed in a recess formed in the frame, and is intermittentlyrotated at the proper times by a pawl, R2, which is operated by a suitable cam or eccentric, (as It3 on the drivingshaft'O,) and is held in' place by spring S5, Fig. 2. Said wheel has a number of openings, R4, eachradapted to receive a fastener, and is reduced or countersunk, as at R5, Fig. 11. This is to allow a spring-bolt B6 (held forward by spring R7) to press said fastener from the uppermost hole into the driver-channel .above the driver when said driver goes downto the lower limit of its'stroke.

v.The carrier-wheel It is in the nature of a rotary magazine,- which, as herein shown, is' '-automatically supplied with button-fasteners at onepoint from another magazine, as fast as said fasteners are takenout at another point, into thedriverichannel. It is not essential to the .use of this wheel that any such means as vherein described for supplying it with fasten- .ers shall be employed in combination there-i with.v By dispensing with the feeding de-y vices and providing a suitable opening an-` swering to the present magazine-opening the vfasteners may be put into said wheel by hand,-` and afterward used out as required, substantiallyfthe same as cartridges are supplied to` and taken from the revolving cylinders of firearms'. In this case the size of said wheel may be lincreased to contain' a convenient number of the fasteners. In machines heretofore used for setting these` button-fasteners a supply of the fasteners has: been placed in a magazine, through which they i have been forced into the driver-channel by a Y plunger 'or follower. i

Vhen the machines are to be used for manu-` facturing purposes, it is desirable to save the; time required for operating the follower when; replenishing the magazine; and, also, to pro` lvide. means whereby this may be done withoutl interfering, Vas. necessary heretofore,with the Hcontinuous operation of the machine. In my f,.pres ent invention, I accomplish these objectsg by*4 substituting yfor that follower a feeding device, placed near the delivery end of the; magazine, and by so inclining that part of 'said'. magazine rearward of said device that the fast-v eners. therein vwill feed down thev magazine rgroove by the action of gravity. It is n'ot im-2 portant .what kind of a mechanical movement is'ufsed'for the aforesaid feedingv device, pro-v vided only that it shall act upon the fasteners to push them forward as required.v The work vto be performed by the device is analogous toY ,that of feeding forwardcloth in a 'sewing-mari chine, and a variety of sewing-machine feed-j motions, whether having reciprocating or cir-I cular movements, may,with but slight altera.l tions, be adapted to the requirements of my present machine. These feed-motions are, in avariety of forms, so extensively employed in the art of manufacturing shoes that they will be fully understood without a detailed description. Of the variety of such feed-motions in use, VI prefer,. for my present. purposes, `an adaptation' of that one known as the circular feed,77 this being a friction-wheel and a pawland-ratchet motion for imparting thereto an intermittent rotary movement. In the drawings, Wis such a wheel,arranged to press upon the top of the fasteners,which are in the lower part, M2, vof the magazine. Said wheel should have an elastic face to bear against the fasteners, and is preferably made of india-rubber, with aleather covering. This wheel is lightly clamped between collars W2, -formed or iixerl on the hub of ratchet-wheel W3, which ratchetvwheel is supported by stud Wt, andturned by pawl W5, from a slide, S3, operated by a cam,

C, on the camshaft. A pawl, W7, is provided for preventing ratchet-wheel W3 from turning backward. The friction-wheel W is preferably furnished with a thin metal washer, W, on each side thereof, adapted to adhere to said wheel and to slide against collars W2. The con- Y struction and adjustment of these parts is preferably such that ratchet-wheel W will be turned somewhat faster than required, sothat washers W will slip slightly on collars W2 at each movement thereof; but these washers should give sufficient resistance to slightly distortthe wheel, and thus insure a constant-forward pressure on the fasteners, duel to the elasticity of the india-rubber composing-said wheel. v.

The button-feeding apparatus consists of a hopper, preferably inclined, for holding a quantity of buttons, a device for imparting to said hopper a shaking movement, a button- IOO feeding screw for separating the buttons from the mass in the hopper and delivering them one at a time into a suitable channel, an overiiow in said channel for regulating the supply lof buttons fed to the setting-die, and a posi- IKO tively-.acting feeding device for carrying th-e lated by crank-pin H3. of torsional vibration of the hopper which is favorable tothe proper operation of the screw and slot. The crank-pin is formed on shaft S, which and the said stem of screw B have..

Gear Gon said their bearing in column A4.

stem, meshing with gear G? on shaft Si, serves to communicatecontinuous rotary motion 4from said screw-stem to said crank. The screw itself may be turned by means of apulley, P, thereon, which is drivenby belt l? vsaid screw B,.and a slot, whereby it is oscil- This producesa kind I both pass up together until they reach thel l and 17. The buttons coming down through thisI from pulley P3 on the drivinglshaft O, or by other suitable driving mechanism. I prefer; that screw B shall revolve faster than shaft 0,] because, in practice, the rateat which the buttons are fed varies considerably, so that the maximum rate should bein excess of require-,i

. ments in order to insure a sufficient average l and 17, showing sections of the hopper shown graduated as to do this.

in plan view in Fig. A12. The buttons are placed in suitable quantity in the lower and wider end of the hopper, in which the slot isv wider than towardthe upper and narrower end, and, being shaken up by the vibration of` the hopper, some of them fall against the screw B in about the position shown at 2, against which screw they slide along until` their eyes enter the screw-thread, as at 3. Most of the buttons are'thus caught by the screw between lines X and X2. If only one button is taken by a turn of the thread, it is generally carried over by the screw to the position of 4, and then it slides up along the left-hand elevated edge J2 of the slot, reaching, successively, po-` sitions 6,7, and 8, Fig. 12; but if two buttons, as 3 and 4, are caught in the same turni of the thread, as frequently happens, then;

camshaped edge J 0f the slot, when one of them, usually 6, is forced out, leaving thev other, 5, to be carried on to positions 7 and 8.; When any buttons are thus thrown away froml the screw, they fall into a trough, T, which is formed along one side of the hopper and terminates at T2 on a level with the top of screw` B, said trough being separated from said screw by the elevated edge J Zas shown best in Figs.l2j

trough pass over the screw into the lower part T, of the hopper, fromwhich they are ultimately all taken by the screw, as before. Afi long curved arrow in Fig. 12 shows the gen-Q eral course of the buttons in the hopper. By making the hopper to have that lower part, T3, a larger part of the screw is covered byf the mass of buttons, so that more of these are likely to be caught, as described, in the turns? of the thread.. Any buttons carried up in improper positions by the screw or by other; buttons which are so carried are soon 'shaken off into trough T, usually before reaching line; X4. The degree and rapidity of the oscilla-` tion of the hopper should, of course, be soy It is obvious that byl properly constructing the hopper therefor the buttonfeeding screw may be placed lin ahorizontal position; but as this arrangement is, inl my opinion, less reliable and convenient,A II prefer to have said screw inclined, as shown.,

VThe thread of screw B has a rectangular sectional form, and is preferably made from the lower end as far up as line X3 somewhat wider than actually required, for the purpose of facilitating the entrance thereinto of the button-eyes, and it is preferably made (on the upper side of said screw) vertical to a horizontal plane, as in Fig. 18, being then not at right angles to its aXis of rotation. In order to still further increase the efficiency of the screw to catch the button-eyes, the upper edge is beveled about as shown at V2, Fig. 18. The effect of this bevel is illustrated in said gure at 2, which represents a button with its eye just entering thread V from the upper side thereof, as they most frequently do. The lower edge of the thread is beveled in a lesser degree, about as shown at V3, for the purpose of `increasing the stability of the buttons caught by the screw. On reaching position 8, Fig. 12, the button stands directly in frontof channel L, into which itis driven by cam 0",which cam is preferably Xed rigidly to the screw. A flange, B2, may be formed on the end of the screw to prevent any buttons accidentally passing beyond said channel.` Passing through that channel, the buttons first come to a narrow bridge, lL2, over which they pass into channel L3. This' channel extends downward and and terminates in a circular arc, Lt, at the setting-die, delivering the button to said die in the position shown in Fig. 7. A buttonfeed wheel, N, having teeth N2 engaging the buttons, is arranged concentric to said arc, (which is cut away therefon) immediately in front of the setting-die, which wheel is fixed to shaft O4, whereby it is operated in such manner that after a fastener is set the button held thereby is at once carried away from said die, and another button brought into place ready for the neXt operation of the machine. The mechanism for turning shaft O4 is a simple ratchet-and-pawl motion, which, in the present instance, consists of a ratchet-whecl, N3, fixed to said shaft, and pawl N, connected to slide Si, a holdfast, N5, being provided vto prevent said ratchet-wheel from'being accidentali y turned. The teeth N2 of wheel N are curved forward at their points, (see Fig. 21,) so as to enter between and separate the buttons and not strike too abruptly against them.

Since screw B revolves, as hereinbefore mentioned, faster than shaft O, it is obvious that `another buttonis fed into channel L, then rool IIO

those on the bridge must be dislodged.;4 This condition is illustrated byFigs. 19 and 20'. In the first another button, 12, has been driven into channel L until it touches but docs not move button 13. In thenext figure button 12 has beendriven forward, pushing 15 against 16, and this against 17, partially Adis'lodging both of these, one or both of which fall- Iinto the spout at 21, and are returned thereby to. the hopper. For the purpose of accelerating the passage of the buttons along the spout one said; screw, as at K, Fig. 13, the said pivot being in this case a simple pin projecting from the front side of upright A4, Fig. 3, immediN ately below said screw. In this case the hop- .per-frame H2 must of course be so formed as ,to permit a sufficient lateral movement without striking againstthe screw.

rIhe operation of this improved machine is as follows: The parts of the machine beingk at rest in about the position shown in Figs.l 1, 2, 3, and 7, the magazine properly supplied with fasteners, and the hopper andvchannels L L3 with buttons, a shoe upper or fabric, K, to which buttons are to be secured, is then placed in position on presser-slide S, under settingdie E, as shown in Fig. 7. By referring to this figure it will be seen that the wide part of slide S overreaches carrier-wheel R, and while in the above positioncomes down close to said wheel, so that the fastener F (which is there shown as a short black line in the lower end of driver-channel D2) can then be pushed up into the upper end of said driver-channel without having to pass space Q, Figs. 9 and 10,

which is formed by the upward movement of said slide. The driving-shaft O, together with its cams, being now started, the driver is moved up, carrying the fastener into the upper end of the driver-channel, as shown in Fig. 8.

Next, the cams move up the driver and slides S together, pressing the shoe-upper against die E, as shown in Fig. 9, and the continuing upward movement of the driver then forces the fastener-prong through said upper, the eye of a button, 24, `and against the setting-die, as in Fig. 10. rlhe slide andrdriver now movel downward, wheel N is moved forward one division to carry button 24 out of the buttonchannel, and all the parts are returned to their original positions.. ready for a repetition of the entire. operation. During the return movement pawl W5 acts to turn wheel W and thus feed forwardthe supply of fasteners, as hereinbefore mentioned; and during all these operations the button-feeding mechanism is kept 4in operation, as also hereinbefore described.

It should be understood that if the parts of the machine are so proportioned relative to the length of the prong of the button-fastener that said prong shall be longer than the height Aof space Q, Figs. .Sand 10, .the cams C and C2 may thenjbe so constructed as to first let slide S move clear up, and afterward force the driver D clear up at one stroke, so that the fastener .shall pass said space Q, not as hereinbefore described, but by a more simple operation. If,

however, the fastener-prongs are shorter than space Q, I` consider that the former method of operation is preferable.

It will be understood that the several cams and the other operative parts areto beso .proportioned as to properly produce the required motions at the .right1time, which can be readily accomplished by mechanics skilled in the artA of constructing this class of machines.

Having now described my invention, .what I claim to be new, andtherefore desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, 1s- 1 v1. In a button-fastener-setting machine, in

combination,a setting-die having a Xed position therein, a presser-slide adapted to l hold fabric against said die, and having a driverchannel, substantially as described, a driver adapted to drive button fasteners through said channel and fabric Vand against said die, and a cam-shaft having a cam for operating said presser-slide, and a cam for operating said driver, 'substantially as set forth.V

2. In a button-fastener setting-machine, in combination, a setting die, a presser -slide adapted to hold fabric against said die, and having a driver-channel,substantially as4 described, a driver adapted to drive buttonfasteners through said channel and fabric against said die, a cam for operating said slide, and a cam for operating said driver, said cams being constructed and arranged to first begin the stroke-of the driver, then move up the IOO complete the stroke of the driver, substan- -tially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a button-fastener-setting machine, in combination, presser-slide S, having channel D2, driver D, carrier-wheel It, having openings for receiving the fasteners, and pusher l, substantially as described.

4. In a button-fastener-setting machine,`in combination, presser-slide S, having channel D?, driver D, carrier-wheel R, having openings for receiving the fasteners, a magazine, M2, provided with a fastener-feeding device and pusher R6, substantially as'described.v

5. In combination, magazine M and frictionwheel W, and means, substantially-V as de-l scribed, for operating said wheel, .whereby fasteners F are fed along the groove of saidy magazine, substantially as described.

6. In combination, carrier-wheel R, having IIO openings ItL and depressions R5, .a pushery Y adapted to enter said depressions, and means, substantially as described, for operating the carrier-wheel and pusher, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In a buttonfastener-settingmachine,*in

combination, -a button-hopper, .substantially as described, having a slot-in .the bottom thereof, and a screw underneath said slot adapted to engage a projecting part of buttons, substantially as set forth. y

8. In a button-fastener-setting machine, in combination, a hopper, H, having a slot in the bottom thereof, a revolving screw underneath said slot, and a device, substantially as described, for shaking said hopper, substantially as set forth.

9. In combination, a hopper, as H, which has a slot in the bottom thereof and is rigidly fixed at one end and pivotally supported at the other end, a revolving screw underneath said slot, and a hopper-shaking device, substantially as described, adapted to shake said piv ])ltally-supported end, substantially as set fort 10. Hopper H, having trough T and elevated edge J2, substantially as and for the purpose described.

11. In a button-fastener-setting machine, in combination, hopper H, having a slot in the bottom thereof consisting of two portions, one wider than the other, said portions being connected by another portion, one side of which is cam-shaped, as at J, Fig. 12, substantially as and for the purpose described.

12. An inclined button-feeding screw having its thread with parallel sides and at less than a right angle to its axis, substantially as and for the purpose described.

13. Abutton-feeding screw having its thread beveled, as at V2, substantially as and for the purpose described.

14. In combination, screw B, cam C5, and a channel, as L, substantially as described.

15. Irl-combination, screw B, cam G5, channel L, and flange B2 on said screw, substantially as and for the purpose described.

16. In combination, channel L, channel L3, 4o and an intermediate bridge, L2, substantially as and for the purpose described.

17. IThe combination of hopper H, channel L, bridge L, leading from said channel L, button-feeding devices, substantially as described, for conveying buttons from said hopper into and through said channel to said bridge, and a spout extending from said bridge into said hopper, substantially as described.

18. In combination, hopper H, button-feed 5o ing devices, substantially as described, having an overflow, as L2, and spout U, substantially as and for the purpose described.

19. In combination, a button-channel, as L, terminating in the curved part L4, 'toothed wheel N, means, substantially as described, for operating said wheel, and die E, said wheel and said part L4 being so constructed and arranged as to co-operatc for the feeding of buttons from said channel to said die, all substantially as set forth.

20. In combination, a channel, as L, having a curved part, as L4, wheel N, having curved teeth N2, and means, substantially as described, for operating said wheel,substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 30th day of September, A. D. 1884..

FRANCIS H. RICHARDS.

Witnesses:

H. W. FAULKNER, H. F. L. OROUTT. 

